Architect Archive
Thread: How to increase the demand for architect services and add decay to the system.
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Saratoga
Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:05 am
#1
I added a couple ideas to the in concept thread for this week. Similar ideas are probably out there and I hope only to reinforce them. I have been a master architect since August 2003. I suffered through the hellish failure rates, broken factories, and the low value associated with our products. Now I would like to find a way to increase the demand for our services. These are only ideas. I admit I could be out of the park on some of these, but i think we all have the same goal to make the architect profession more rewarding.
The game is now approaching a year on the live servers. The player base is well established now and the demand for architect, tailor, and droids is very low. Weapons, armor, and brandy (SWG is now a player base of alcoholics) are the only constant sales.
I am going to concentrate on what to do with Architects. The solution for Droid Engineer is far more complex but among solutions would be to add more droid types, make droids combat worthy, and make the modules useful i.e. survey droid should give stats, stim As are useless, merchant barker should be at novice merchant, etc.. I rarely see these droids. Tailor is simple... add a decay timer like vehicles to clothes and when the clothes reach 0 or 1 they disappear. add more types of loot and regular schematics without limited uses. The RL clothing market is driven by new styles. We dont have that in this game. There should be a new schem every week.
Architects...
1. Player hospitals, cantinas, and theaters are useless city decorations. I can do the same function in a house. There needs to be somethingabout thesestructures thatachef, musician, or dancer wouldwantto own one. I would say add politician (theater only), smuggler (cantina only),and merchant(cantina only)to the abilitity to own these structures. The easy solution is drop them down to a 2 lot requirement. Why would I have a 5 lot cantina that can do the same thing as a 2 lot medium or small house??? Also allow players to place these structures outside a player city.
2. Harvesters and factories: They need to decay. mining equipment, refining facilities, and industrial gear all require replacement in real life. The solution to adding decay to these structures is having decay for specific subcomponents. The turbo fluid drilling unit goes out. So we have to go to an architect for a replacement. Same for a mining unit, turbine generator, power core, etc. even add more. There needs to be a menu on each structure that allows you to remove and add these subcomponents. A similar menu has been developed for spaceships and jedi light sabers so it can be done. The basic structure does not decay only the subcomponents. This will simulate RL wear and tear over a short period of time.
3. Houses: No decay. Houses represent a sense of accomplishment to many players in game. Decay would only mean grief.
4. Furniture. Fix the candles and lights. When the timer goes out the light should go out. Torches should have a timer too. Other furniture should not decay. The length of time the game represents we should not see significant decay. Solution is to start giving architects the remaining furniture seen in game that we cannot craft and some newfurniture. And no more lmited use schematics. Those piss me off more than anything in the game. The only thing that should be limited are the ones that give stat bonuses.
5. Drop the cost of player city decorations. We need to see more decorations to make player cities unique and something people want to see. 20000 per week for a park is ridiculous. Maybe 1000 per week sounds more reasonable. I understand player cities are one of your money sinks, but you need to stop the 36-38k solo enraged rancor missions first. In general player cities are ugly disorganized ventures. Lamps should be 500 per week, fountains 500 per week, statues should be 100 if not 0, small parks 500, medium 1000, large 2000. Player city banks (5000), garages (5000), and cloning centers (10000)can be considered for a decrease in cost, decorations are more important.
ImaToasty
Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:24 am
#2
I agree with the original post that there needs to be a bigger demand built in for architects. I've bought something like 3m credits worth of houses, factories, harvesters etc in my time and although I would rather not spend mega cash maintaining them, a decay would be more realistic and would provide a steady income stream for architects.
IMHO, the architect profession is full of very cool peeps who do great work and don't gouge (at least on Sunrunner). I'd hate to lose more of 'em b/c of the slowdown in demand given the now mature playerbase.
Pawlin
Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:28 am
#3
Saratoga wrote:
...(SWG is now a player base of alcoholics) ...
Lol. Hey maybe SOE will give us a schematic for bar stools.
Fneegan
Thu Jun 17, 2004 12:21 am
#4
I LIKE the idea of harvesters decayingANDhaving "Harvester Repair Modules" that only the harvester owner can purchase and repair the harvester with. If they don't repair them, they eventually get destroyed.
Ialso like the ideaof little one-time use "Add-On Modules"to harvesters to make them placeable on hills or water. Both these2 types of modules would increase our sales.
Wealso need to eliminate the abuse of static harvesters altogetherand makeharvesters needing tobe redeedable such asafter 5 day use. That would also be a good time to repair them.
I think, if Architects can get more schematics and be able to craft MORE things - then we can sell more.
ATM, most of what we craft are one-time purchase or we're at the mercy of new players. Many of the other city structures we build largely depends upon a new city development and event then, it's ONE City Hall per city.
As for light,I think there should be a lightswitch at the door of the house - I don't really care for the intro of lights and candles. It cost players already enough maintenace (house, garage, shuttle, taxes) why add more. It should be optional if you want them.
It would be nice for Architects to add more to cities and I do agree that player city cost should be lower. I've even removed most of my streetlamps in our city. They're not really needed. Even with 2k tax, 150 shuttle and 100 speeder, itdoesn't cover half of our city cost.Okay, work is over, going home now.
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